This post was originally written during my 2 1/2 year tenure as a blogger for Family Goes Strong. The site was deactivated on July 1, 2013, but you can read the post here.

EAT THE EASTER CANDY EGGS AND CHOCOLATE BUNNIES, BUT SAVE THE MARSHMALLOW PEEPS FOR THESE FUN ACTIVITIES

Who says Americans have lost their competitive edge? The iconic Easter candy fondly known as Peeps is made right here in the U.S.A. and growing in popularity around the world. In fact, if you lined up all the marshmallow peeps made in one year beak-to-tail, they could circle the globe twice!

The tradition of filling baskets with hand-painted eggs and chocolate bunnies continues, but Peeps have moved beyond the basket. Their cult status is due in large measure to the endless creative and competitive ways people have found to use them. And it’s my guess this creativity arose out of the need to do something else with them besides eat them.

The good thing about using Peeps for creative endeavors is they have a two-year shelf life, so you can buy them on sale after each holiday and collect all the seasonal colors and shapes to have on hand for future projects. They’re also nearly indestructible. Scientists at Emory University claim they would not dissolve them in anything, including acetone, sulfuric acid and sodium hydroxide.

If your competitive spirit is stirred by the sight of uneaten Peeps hidden in the plastic straw in the bottom of Easter baskets, you may want to enter the annual Washington Post Diorama contest . You’ll have a whole year to come up with a smashing idea since the 2013 winner has already been selected. It was titled, “Twinkie: Rest in Peeps” and portrayed Peeps in a funeral parlor mourning a deceased Twinkie in a coffin.

There are also eating competitions. The reigning winner of that managed to eat 102 Peeps in 30 minutes. The winner in the shorter contest swallowed 7 peeps in 30 seconds.